Solmar was started in 2004 by "a few people working out of a spare bedroom", with Blake going on to play an instrumental role in guiding the brand on its journey to becoming a multi-million-pound revenue business before it was acquired by Kuoni parent Dertour in January 2024.
Blake’s friends and colleagues characterised her as a risk taker who wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty and never sought to distance herself from her team, while Dertour’s UK chief Francis Torrilla described Blake simply as irreplaceable.
“It was never just about revenue for Julie," said Solmar head of marketing Matt Bowley. "Her ethos was always about providing quality, really caring for our guests and going above and beyond to give people amazing villa holidays.
"As a family person and mother herself, she just got it. She got the importance of a holiday, the decision making that goes into it, [and] the peace of mind you get knowing support is just a phone call away when you need it.
"That’s what she built at Solmar – an amazing environment where everyone is as passionate as each other in giving our guests an amazing experience."
Blake’s colleagues recalled her as someone always coming up with "creative, out-of-the-box ideas" – and then running with them. "She absolutely was not afraid to fail and would always see the potential in any opportunity," they said.
Others recalled her work ethic. "There have been countless occasions where Julie would drop her plans to muck in and help out the team, whether it was assisting with sales enquiries during the busy peak season, helping concierge in the middle of summer or loading villas to our new website in the middle of Covid," they said.
"She was always a team player and an inspiration on how to lead by example. She had a unique style of leadership, she guided with grace, mentored with kindness and always lit up the room.
"Julie never let the overseas team feel forgotten. Her laughter was infectious and her sense of humour could lift the heaviest of hearts. She checked in regularly and always wanted to know how the team was doing. She truly cared."
Irreplaceable
Torrilla will take responsibility for the brand on an interim basis. "It is with a heavy heart and with great sadness that I shared news of Julie’s passing with our team at Solmar," he said.
"We will not be able to replace Julie and we will not try to. We will, however, find the right person to lead Solmar on its next iteration as we continue to take the business to other markets and villa guests worldwide."
Torrilla recalled meeting Blake in January 2023 when she raised the prospect of selling the business. "Her passion for Solmar and in securing the future of her business by joining forces with other like-minded tour operators was foresight indeed," he said. "Her actions have secured the future of Solmar and we will ensure her legacy lives on."
He added everyone at Solmar and Dertour’s thoughts and prayers were with her immediate family, Chris, Rose and Poppy, and her parents John and Maria.
